I’ll get straight to the point and won’t write a wordy, embellished introduction. You don’t need a fancy sewing machine for lingerie. Although Madalynne Studios is stocked with PFAFF’s Quilt Expression 4.2 and Ambition Eseential, it’s the PFAFF Passport 2.0 that almost all my students use at Bra Making with Madalynne workshops and that I use for my personal sewing. Even my sewing home girl Evie La Luve across the pond and Tailor Made Shop use a PFAFF Passport for their lingerie sewing. Although not a Passport, Ohhh ...
Archives for March 2020
Bra Making Tutorial: How to Sew a Hook & Eye on a Bra
How to sew hooks & eyes and eyes on a bra – this is my favorite step because it means I'm on the home stretch and only have a few more steps until I'm finished! My tip for achieving a super clean and straight hook & eye is my secret weapon - Odif’s 505 Spray adhesive. It's on my Amazon list for favorite bra making supplies, and it's one of those tools that if I were to run out mid-sewing, I would stop and get more. First, what is a hook & eye and what is it used for? A hook & eye is a type of ...
How to Make a Bra Fit: Common Pattern Alterations for Lingerie
The great thing about sewing lingerie is that you have the opportunity to correct fit issues that you usually have with RTW bras + panties. Are you usually spilling out of your bra cups? Does your back band ride up? It's in your sewing power to fix it! The caveat is that you will have to do a pattern adjustments. Altering patterns is just as scary to sewists as sewing lingerie. It's that fear that holds a lot of sewists back from even trying. However, there are a few common fit issues that I demonstrated how to ...
Bra Making Tutorial: How to Cut Lingerie Fabrics
How to cut lingerie fabrics? It's all about having the right tool. Tools are just as important as fabric and trims. It's easy to skimp on tools in order to save a few bucks, especially because no one sees or knows about your supplies when a project is finished. I promise you though that having the right tools are what makes or breaks a lingerie project. Cutting fine fabrics such as galloon lace, all over lace, stretch mesh and sheer tricot can be a b***h. There's a lot of moving and shifting. To get the most ...
Bra Making Tutorial: Choosing the Right Lingerie Fabrics
One of the most confusing parts of bra making is choosing the lingerie fabrics. Stretch or non stretch? Those old scraps of lace that my grandmother gave me - can I use them? What about a woven on the bias? Here are some general guidelines that will help you when purchasing. LACE: An obvious fabric choice for lingerie is lace. Lace comes in 2 varieties - all over lace and galloon. All over lace is the easier of the two to find in fabric or craft stores. It is usally available in 36”, 45” or 60” wide just ...
Bra Making Tutorial: How to Sew Shoulder Straps on a Bra
How to sew shoulder straps on a bra - it's not hard, just a lot of steps. When repeat students come to workshops, they always tell me, I remember everything except how to make the straps! So, this post is for them and others who are sitting at home with strap elastic in their hands thinking, "What the heck do I do now?" To make and attach adjustable bra straps, you'll need two things - bra strapping and a pair of rings + sliders. Both are available for purchase in the lingerie notions + trims section of the ...
Bra Making Tutorial: How to Sew Underwire Bra Channeling.
Sewing lingerie intimidates most sewists. I can usually ease them into it by starting with a bralette or a panty. That way he or she can tippy toe into the world of stretch fabrics, picot elastic, hooks and eyes without getting overwhelmed with sewing underwires, bra channeling and all other more advanced lingerie sewing skills. Just like sewing picot elastic or fold over elastic, sewing underwire bra channeling is not hard. It's just something you're not familiar with or doing. You don't need a fancy presser foot, ...
